$731 Million Powerball Jackpot Won in Maryland
Thursday January 21st 2021Someone in Maryland is waking up an amazing $731.1 million wealthier this morning after a lone Powerball ticket sold in the state hit the jackpot by matching all six numbers drawn on Wednesday night.
The incredible prize is the fourth-highest in Powerball history and the sixth-highest jackpot in US lottery history, as well as being the biggest winner ever sold in Maryland!
The ticket matched all five white balls in the Wednesday, January 20 drawing - 40, 53, 60, 68, and 69 - as well as the red Powerball, 22. Last night's Power Play multiplier was 3X.
The ticket was purchased from Coney Market in Lonaconing, Allegany County. The MD Lottery will pay the retailer a $100,000 bonus commission.
It's possible we may never discover the winner's identity, because Maryland allows lottery winners to stay anonymous - one of just 10 states to do so without restrictions.
The winner will have a choice of two options for how to collect their life-changing prize. The first is an annuity estimated at $731.1 million - the full advertised jackpot - paid out as 30 annual payments for 29 years (one payment is made after the winner claims, and the rest follow yearly). The other choice is the cash option, a single $546.8 million lump sum payout.
Either way, withholdings will be taken before payment as required by law, including federal taxes of 24 percent and Maryland taxes of 8.95 percent.
The winner has 182 days from the draw date to claim their prize. They should immediately sign the back of the ticket, photograph or copy the front and back, and keep it in a safe location. A lottery ticket is a bearer instrument, so if it's not signed, anyone who is in possession of it is able to claim the prize.
More Big Wednesday Powerball Wins
Powerball offers a total of nine ways to win, and last night's draw produced a range of prizes for players across the country. Beyond the jackpot, over 4.4 million tickets are now worth between $4 to $2 million.
The night's second-highest prize was also won by a Maryland ticket - it was sold at AC&T in Hagerstown and matched all five main numbers. Normally it would have a $1 million value, but the Power Play multiplier was added for an extra $1 at the time of purchase, doubling the win to $2 million.
Additionally, 12 tickets nationwide are worth $1 million each after they matched the five white ball numbers, but not the Powerball. Three of the lucky tickets were sold in New Jersey, two each in California, Georgia, and Illinois, and one each in Maine, Michigan, and Oregon.
The Powerball jackpot has been rolling since it was last won by a ticket in New York on September 19, 2020. Wednesday was the 36th draw, making it the longest run in the game's history!
All eyes now turn to the Mega Millions drawing tomorrow, Friday, January 22 - the incredible $970 million jackpot is the game's second-largest ever, and tickets are on sale now.
This weekend offers another chance to hit the Powerball jackpot, which has reset to its current starting value of $20 million, with a cash option of $15 million for the next drawing on Saturday, January 23. Since the jackpot is below $150 million, there's the potential for a 10X Power Play multiplier to be selected.
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